VIEW FROM ITALY: When Serie A clubs don’t have money, they need good ideas to fight hard in Europe
VIEW FROM ITALY: When you’re short on money you need good ideas… Serie A clubs punch above their weight in European competitions through smart transfer news and tactical intelligence on the pitch
- An Italian sports journalist explains why Serie A clubs are successful in Europe
- Although they are not the richest sports teams, they have smart transfers and tactics
- Either Inter Milan or fellow city AC will reach the final of the Champions League
The 20 clubs in Serie A collectively burn a billion euros every season.
There is no Italian club in the top 10 of Deloitte’s list of the richest clubs in the world, and in terms of money generated, the Italian League ranks fourth, below the Premier League, the Bundesliga and La Liga.
“Once upon a time, in the Italian league, all the best players in the world wanted to be,” said Giuseppe Marotta, CEO of Inter Milan and president of the Association of Sporting Directors in Italy.
“Now it’s a stopover on their journey to the top.”
The Serie A of Zico, Marco van Basten and Diego Maradona no longer exists. Neither the era of the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, or even that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Inter Milan CEO Giuseppe Marotta believes Italy’s role in football has changed
Inter or crosstown rivals AC Milan are one match away from the Champions League final
Nevertheless, one of the Milanese clubs will reach the final of the Champions League. Roma and Juventus are in the semi-finals of the Europa League and Fiorentina are still battling it out in the Conference League. How is this possible?
“If you don’t have enough money, you need good ideas,” Marotta said.
That applies to the transfer market and on the pitch and includes profits from player sales, smart free transfers and tactical intelligence.
Being the best league in the world – as Serie A was for a decade – has clearly left its mark, even if things are not the way they used to be these days.